Only a Copy
by Ali-Th3-Ch3shir3-Kat
Summary: He hated it. Knowing that he was just a replacement for someone else, someone better. That no matter how much he wanted to he could never really be Richard Grayson. He was just borrowing his name, his life...


**Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. Sad but true.**

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><p>He hated it. Knowing that he was just a replacement for someone else, someone better. That no matter how much he wanted to he could never really be Richard Grayson. He was just borrowing his name, his life, while the real Richard Grayson lay in a coma at Gotham Memorial.<p>

He didn't hate him, the real Dick, but he envied him. He wanted so bad to be him. To really be Richard Grayson and not some sad little replacement made by Bruce.

He didn't hate Bruce either, even if he did this to him-_created him_- knowing that one day he would have it all taken from him. He couldn't hate him for giving him life and a family, even if it wasn't really _his_.

This team, this family, and this identity all belonged to someone else and Robin knew when the real Richard Grayson woke up he'd have to give it back. And a part of him knew that even though he'd hate having to let it all go so Dick could have his life back he'd give it up without a fight.

Give everything that he _was_ up without so much as a struggle or single tear.

It was only right. And being a clone of Bruce Wayne- _Batman_- he at the very least knew wrong from right on his own. His morals were all his, not Dick's, though really...still Bruce's in essence. But he didn't mind that as much because at least that was something he wouldn't have to give up.

Sometimes he wondered what would happen when the day came to give up and step aside. How would his friends react? The league? Where would he go? What would he be? Who would he be when he was no longer Richard Grayson?

He'd have to be someone else. Someone new.

He'd have to become a whole other person. One that was really just him. After all, he couldn't just take someone else's life like he had Dick's. He doubted anyone else would really be alright with it. Hell, he sometimes questioned if Dick was alright with it.

Did he know that he'd been replaced? That someone was living his life for him? Holding his place?

Robin visited him as much as he could, often three to four times a week, to tell him about his life. So he would know when he awoke. He didn't really understand it but he cared for Dick. More than just an acquaintance.

Sometimes when the doctors talked about him in hushed whispers, about how he was on a razors edge, barely kept from death, Robin would cry. He hated the thought of the boy in the bed leaving him alone with this life and identity. Robin always thought that they shared it and if Dick died he'd be left alone and trapped in a lie forever.

At least with Dick around he knew one day the truth would come out and his guilt would be erased when it did. As much as he feared giving back Dick's life he feared being stuck in it -lying- forever even more.

He looked down at the figure in the hospital bed beside him and gave a heavy sigh. The supposed name of the patient was Jason Todd, though in reality he was Richard Grayson. The young man looked nothing like Robin and if anyone looked close they'd see that.

Robin was slightly shorter and thinner, his hair darker and his eyes bluer. Dick's eyes were green, dark green. And his skin was tanner than Robin's, noticeably so. And yet no one questioned it when Robin took over his life. No one questioned the differences.

Robin leaned down and took Dick's hand, sighing sadly. "When you wake up...do you think we'll be...friends?"

He got no answer and though he'd expected it it still disappointed him. Occasionally he longed for the teen in the bed to answer him. To comfort him like in his daydreams.

He thought of them as friends, brothers even, and wondered what Dick would think of him. Even if it was irrational he hoped deep down that Dick would care about him too. That perhaps the teen would learn to love and cherish him in return, as Robin did him.

But he knew, for him to ever know, Dick would have to wake up first and as time passed that was looking less and less likely.

He stood up, sighing and releasing the other boy's limp hand. "I'm thinking to much again. It's probably best I leave for now.", he moved to the door and looked back, smiling slightly as if the other boy could see. "Be back soon Jay."

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><p>The next time he visited Dick the teen's hand twitched in his own. He waited for more, silently hoping and dreading that the teen in the bed would open his eyes and awaken.<p>

He didn't.

The next time his eyes fluttered, but didn't open.

Bruce found Robin sitting beside him and holding his hand, tears in his eyes. The man moved to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Dick, what's wrong?"

The teen looked up at him sadly. "He's waking up."

"And that's a bad thing?", Bruce asked softly.

Robin shook his head. "Yes...no? I don't now. I want him to wake up..., but I'm scared. What will I do when he does? Who will I be?"

"You'll be Robin.", Bruce said firmly. "My son."

"Will you give me a name? My own name?", Robin asked softly.

Bruce nodded. "Yes."

Robin smiled and they left, Robin promising, like he did every time, that he'd be back soon to tell 'Jay' about his life so he wouldn't miss out on anything.

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><p>The next time they went to the hospital was to see 'Jason Todd'. He had finally passed away from trauma. The movement Robin had seen had been muscle spasms caused by seizures.<p>

Robin cried. Bruce did not.

They made plans for his funeral, Robin growing depressed and slowly passing through the five stages of grief. He felt trapped in the lie, stuck forever as Dick Grayson.

They made up a lie for the league members who knew their identities. Something to explain why they took such interest in this 'Jason Todd'. They made a whole life for him. A whole story explaining who he was and how he had died.

Bruce payed the hospital off and as far as anyone in the public knew 'Jason Todd' was just another murdered street child. To the league he was another Robin, brutally murdered by the Joker. The criminal even went along with it, claiming that he had indeed killed the teen.

And all the while Robin was eaten by guilt. Because the dead teen wasn't a petty criminal. He hadn't been a mere street child or even another Robin. And he had been murdered but not by the Joker.

But it was covered up so Robin could continue living his life. Dick's life.

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><p>It was after the funeral with the rest of Young Justice that it happened. Robin couldn't take it anymore when Wally asked who the young man, Jason- No, Dick- had been and if Robin himself had known him.<p>

Robin froze, eyes downcast behind his mask. "He wasn't Jason Todd. His real name was Dick.", he looked up at Wally, the only one to know his identity. "Dick Grayson."

Wally's eyes widened. "But you're..."

"No.", Robin said softly. "I'm not. Not really."

"What are you two talking about?", Artemis asked, she and the others staring between the two best friends in confusion.

"Rob's real name is Dick Grayson.", Wally said looking at his friend.

M'gann frowned. "But he just said-"

"I'm not.", Robin interrupted. "He was the real Dick Grayson. I'm a replacement."

"A replacement?", Wally asked, confusion evident. "What are you-"

"Dick Grayson, the real Dick Grayson, was born and raised in the circus. His family acrobats. The best of he best. They traveled and did shows all over the world. And everything was fine until their circus, Haley's Circus, came to Gotham. A man came to the circus, a gangster by the name of Tony Zucco, and offered them protection. They declined, but Zucco wasn't one to take no for an answer. He got angry and decided to get back at the circus by destroying it's best act. He tampered with the trapeze wires and when it was time for their act Dick's parents fell to their deaths, murdered before an entire crowd of onlookers. Dick was the only witness. The only one who could convict Tony Zucco. A few weeks after their death he was shot. Zucco had wanted him to die, but he didn't. He ended up in a coma. But it was good enough and Zucco got away.", Robin's fists clenched in his lap. "Bruce Wayne wanted to help the poor boy, but he didn't know how. Despite being Batman he couldn't do it alone. To help Dick he would need someone to draw Zucco out. So he made a plan."

The others watched him, eyes wide with revelation, and Robin knew he couldn't stop now. He'd already gone too far. He'd exposed not only himself but Bruce as well. He had ruined everything and yet he couldn't stop. Not now.

"He made a replacement for Dick. A clone of himself.", Robin sighed as their eyes all widened even further, Superboy moving closer to him. "Me. And he payed off the hospital to say that Dick had awoken. They changed his name and he became Jason Todd while I took over his life as Richard Grayson...and later became Robin, partner to the Dark Knight."

"So the kid who died...", Wally started.

"He was the real Dick Grayson. He died of complications and residual trauma.", Robin said softly. "And Batman covered it up."

"So that you could continue being Dick Grayson.", Kaldur said softly.

Robin nodded softly, waiting for the anger or disgust that was sure to come. But it didn't come. Instead he felt warm arms wrap around him, Wally hugging him. Then the others were joining in, wrapping their arms around him in a comforting embrace.

And he couldn't help it. He cried, the shock and relief all coming over him at once. They whispered comforting words to him, Wally rubbing his back while M'gann opened the link allowing their thoughts of love and acceptance to wash over him.

It seemed like hours but it was only minutes later that he pulled away from them, a sort of sad acceptance on his face.

"Bruce is going to kill me for telling you all this."

Superboy looked at the others before giving a thoughtful look. "He doesn't have to know."

Robin looked up slowly, shocked. "What? You mean-"

"We won't tell him.", Artemis said firmly.

Kaldur nodded. "It will be our little secret."

"But the video footage...", Robin said softly, gesturing at one of the many security cameras in the mountain.

"Doesn't have sound. Remember?", Wally said with a smirk. "Ever since I got you to turn it off last week for that sleepover. You never turned it back on."

"So...you won't tell?", Robin said softy.

"No. We won't.", Superboy said firmly. "As far as we know, you're just Robin."

M'gann nodded. "We don't even know your real name."

Robin smiled softly, eyes on his friends-his family. "Thank you."

They didn't have to say anything back, their smiles were enough. His secret was safe and he didn't have to lie to them anymore. He still had to lie to the rest of the world but he wasn't alone with his secret anymore. It wasn't just him, Bruce, and Alfred anymore. They knew now. They knew who he was. What he was.

They'd protect his secret for him.

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><p>And they did. Even when he left the team for the titans. And later when he left to became Nightwing. And even when the real Dick was resurrected by Ra's. They never told. They kept his secret.<p>

And as time passed Robin became Dick. And the original Dick became Jason. And no one else ever knew.

No one.


End file.
